"And rested the sabbath day."--_Luke 23:56._
THERE were some good people even among the chief of the Jews; and two
of these, named Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, went to Pontius
Pilate, and asked him to let them bury the body of Jesus. People
generally were much longer in dying on the cross, so Pilate sent to see
if He was dead.
To make sure, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and
out came blood and water together. The robbers were still alive, so
the soldiers broke their legs, that they might die sooner; and so the
repenting one soon went to our Lord in Paradise.
Then Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took the holy body down from
the cross, quite dead. Now, close by, Joseph had a garden, and in it
was a cave which he meant to be buried in, but where no one had yet
been laid. They carried our Lord's body there; and the good women who
followed Him, Mary Magdalene and the rest, wrapped it up in linen
cloths and sweet spices.
They wanted to do more for it; but it was getting late on Good Friday
evening, and the Sabbath or seventh day was counted from sunset, and
then they could do no manner of work. So they had to wait till the
Sabbath should be over; and Joseph rolled a great rock to close up the
door, and they went away in their grief.
[Illustration: THE BURIAL OF JESUS.--John 19:41, 42.]
And then came a guard of soldiers, whom the chief priests had sent to
watch the stone, for fear, as they told Pilate, that the disciples
should steal the body away in the night. So they put seals, to make
sure that no one should move the stone; and the soldiers were set to
watch.